1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for bending a metal tube at two locations in substantially opposite directions at one time, the metal tube having a relatively small diameter such as about 15 m/m and mainly used as a passageway for supplying oil or air in automobiles, various machines or industrial equipment.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Known bending apparatuses of this type include a support, a section for retaining a pipe by a chuck connected to a cylinder device, and bending units each of which has a forming roll and a press roll connected to a rotary actuator provided on the bottom of the support so that it pivots around the forming roll, the retaining section and the bending units being provided on the support. Such a bending apparatus is operated as described below and as illustrated in FIG. 7: a pipe P' is retained at a section 21 for retaining it by a chuck 20 provided on a fixed type support, and the pipe is bent in that state at two locations in substantially opposite directions by pivoting press rolls 24 and 24' of bending units 22 and 22' disposed on the support in the vicinities of two sides of the retaining section in crosswise direction, about forming rolls 23 and 23' by respective rotary actuators (not shown) in the direction indicated by arrows.
In this bending apparatus, a pipe is bent by the bending units 22 and 22' alone on the fixed support. Therefore, when the pipe P' to be bent is a long one and it is bent in the vicinity of its mid point, the two ends of the pipe are shifted through a large distance, increasing possibilities of the pipe P' being deformed and scratched and of the plated layers being damaged or cracked. Further, installation of the bending apparatus requires large space.